Improvement in stays, springs, and extensors in wearing-apparel



IUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JEREMIAH L. NEWTON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN STAYS, SPRINGS, AND EXTENSORS IN WEARING-APPAREL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 56,438, dated July 17,1866.

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, JEREMIAH L. NEWTON, of Boston, in the county ofSuffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented and discovered a newand useful Material for Elastic Supports in Wearing-Apparel; and Ihereby declare that the following' is a full and eXact description ofthesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and the lettersof reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification, ofwhich- Figure l represents a perspective view of the strip. Fig. 2represents a section of the strip.

The nature of myinven tion consists in adapting rawhide for use incorsets and all wearingapparel where and for the purposes for whichwhalebone, steel, and other materials are commonly used.

Take the skin of any animal, remove the hair by any of the knownprocesses prepara tory for tanning, stretch and dry the same, and thencut into such strips as to length and breadth as may be suitable forcorsets or waists of dresses, or for the purposeintemled; or take therawhide before it is dried, and pass it under a paring or shavingmachine to make the skin smooth and of even thickness. Then it may becut into strips by knives set in a machine so as to cut up a whole orhalf a hide at one stroke, the machinery being impelled by steam orother power. These strips, pressed in a mold under heavy pressure, as ina hydraulic press, will become clear and solid, iiexible, and, ofcourse, more or less stitt, ac-

cording to the thickness of skin. They may be colored so as to resemblewhalebone or any other color.

wish it to be distinctly understood that rawhide prepared substantiallyas herein indicated is superior in many respects to all other articlesheretofore applied to such purposes, being more tenacious, more safe andcomfortable to the wearer, and more economical than either whalebone,steel, wood, or any other article so applied.

Whalebone at present prices retails at four and five dollars per pound,While rawhide prepared in the same manner for use can be furnished forless than forty cents per pound. It is less likely to break in using, orto be injured by heat or moisture, and as a substitute it is farsuperior to any substance now in use. It is durable, cheap, and of greatpractical utility to the public, while it is incapable of inflicting theinjury so often resulting from spicular jagged edges and fractures ofthese several materials.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

As a stay, extensor, or spring in wearingapparel, rawhide cut in stripsor otherwise adapted for giving stittness to and supporting corsets,stays, waists, and skirts of dresses and other articles ofwearing-apparel, as and for the purpose above set forth.

JEREMIAH L. NEWTON.

Vitnesses:

JOHN S. HOLMES, E. R. DEAKE.

